Drop, a leading community-driven e-commerce brand , and audio pioneer Axel Grell have achieved a new pinnacle in stereo imaging and audio engineering with the Drop + Grell OAE1 Signature Headphones. Leveraging Grell’s three decades of audio engineering and product development experience designing some of the industry’s most iconic headphones, the driver-forward, open-around-ear OAE1 headphones lean into the structure of the human ear to achieve a more natural and realistic sound field much closer to a speaker listening experience.

The most notable aspect of the Drop + Grell OAE1s is the radical and acute placement of the drivers in front of and away from the ears, enabling the sound field from the transducers to take advantage of the ears natural structure to direct sound into the ear canal. The open-around-ear design minimizes acoustic reflections and controlling sound pressure, with the culmination of both innovations resulting in improved stereo imaging, a natural sound field, and the uncovering of the deepest dimensions of any song.

“Our ears are as individual as fingerprints, so when you put a driver right on top of the eardrum like most headphones do, it will sound good for some and bad for others,” shares Grell. “By positioning the driver in front of the ear, we’re bringing the natural geometry of the ear into the sound forming process, allowing the brain to equalize the sound. Combined with its open-around-ear design, these signature headphones create a rich and pure audio experience.”

Drop + Grell OAE1 Specifications

• Frequency Response: 12–32,000 Hz (-3db) 6–44,000 Hz (-10db)
• Transducer principal: Dynamic
• Ear coupling: Circumaural
• Sound characteristic: Front oriented loudness diffuse field equalization
• Adaption to the individual hearing curve: Soundfield pinna interaction
• Nominal impedance: 38 ohms
• Sound pressure level at 1kHz 1VRMS: 106 dB
• Maximum long term input power: 500mW
• THD at 1kHz 100dB: 0.05%
• Weight (without cable): 365g

“To be able to bring Axel’s audio vision to life at Drop with the OAE1 is incredibly gratifying,” said Lukas Mondoux at Drop. “Other products touched by Axel’s genius have been among the most popular and well-rated among audio aficionados and our Drop community for years, so we have no doubt this new level of natural, pure audio will delight audiophiles. ”

The Drop + Grell OAE1 Signature Headphones are a limited-edition product with only 1,000 pieces available for pre-order at $349 (MSRP $399).  For more information about the Drop + Grell OAE1 Signature Headphones, please visit: https://drop.com/buy/drop-grell-oae1-signature-headphones